Venetian blind construction



April 15, 1952 J. A. ANDERLE VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed April v29, 1950 "NIH imfll'" tion, parts are at times identied by specicnames for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevationof a Venetian blind, portions of the ladder tapes being broken away. 1

f Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of a Venetian blind, including the bottom bar and one of the lift cords and ladder tapes. The end of the lift cord is shown disengaged fom the bottom bar.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the cord retainers. Portions of the cord retainer and of the slot within the retainer have been cross-hatched to vshow the relationship whereby the cord-receiving hole of the retainer is maintained at the center of gravity;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig'. 3 of the retainer with the cross-hatching omitted.

' Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the retainer taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the lift cords having been disengaged from the bottom bar and withdrawn from the slats and several of the slats having been displaced on the ladder tapes.

Referring now to Figs. l and 2, the Venetian blind there shown has an enclosed head bar I which is adapted to be supported by installation brackets Il, II located at the ends of the head bar. Ladder tapes I2, I2 depend from the head bar IU, each ladder tape comprising a pair of longitudinal'tapes I4, I4 connected by a series of cross tapes or rungs I 5.

The slats vI6 of the blind are supported by the ladder tapes I2, I2, each slat resting on a rung f of each tape. A bottom bar I'I, which is'subs tantially heavier than the slats I6, is secured tothe lower end of the ladder tapes I2, I2.

vvThe blind shown is of the two-lift-cord type, in which the ends of the lift cords I9, I9 are reeved through the head bar IIJ and passed downwardly through holes 20, in each slat, the ends of the lift cord being secured to the bottom bar I1. The lift cords I9, I9 pass through a cord lock fitting, not shown, within the head bar I0 and depend from the cord lock adjacent one end of the blind. The lift cords I9, I9 are, in fact, formed, as is customary, of a single length of cord, the looped end of which depends from the cord lock.

lThe bottom wall of the head bar I9 is provided with holes for passage of the lift c ords I9, I9 and the longitudinal tapes I4 of the ladder tapes, these openings being only suiciently large to provide for free passage of the cord and tapes. This construction is shown generally in Nelson Patent 2,455,135, issued November` 30, 1948.

f The lower end of each lift cord I9 isprovided withl a sheet metal bead 2I crimped thereabout to form a somewhat enlarged end of the cord which is received within a keyhole slot 22 of the bottom bar. The size relationship of the cord and bead to the slot is such that the bead may be entered within the larger end of the slot and the cord moved to the smaller end of the slot, which is smaller than the diameter ofthe bead so as to retain the end ofthe lift cord. This type of quick-detachable connection for a lift cord is shown and described more fully in the application of Hans K. Lorentzen S. N. 115,407.

A cord retainer 24 is located on each lift cord I9 above the top slat I6 and normally rests on the upper surface of the slat. The construction ofthe cord retainers 24, 24 is such that, in normal operation of the blind, the lift cords I9, I9 pass freely through the cord retainers. These retainers are shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

Each cord retainer 24 is formed of a flat sheet metal plate, preferably having the generally ovoid shape shown in Figs. Sand 4. Essentially, the retainer 24 consists of a stamped sheet metal plate whose outside dimensions (minoraxis 3I-'-3I) are suiiicient so as to prevent the vretainer from passing upwardly into the'head bar through the lift cord openings, or downwardly through the lift cord holes 20 in the slats. The over-all dimension of the retainer is such that it will not project beyond the edges of the slat.

A hole 25 is provided in the central portion of the retainer for receiving the lift cord I9, this hole being of suitable diameter to provide for free passage vof the cord but being somewhat smaller than the bead 2I. A slot 26 extends outwardly from the hole 25 to the 'margin of the retainer to provide for placing the retainer on the liftcord without detaching the cord from the bottom bar- Il of the blind. Preferably, the inner end of the slot is narrower somewhat at 21, 21 as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 to-prevent accidental dislodgement of the retainer from the cords.

The hole 25 is located substantially at the center of gravity of theretainer 24. This design can be obtained by locating the hole 25 at the center of a circular area represented in part by the outline of the retainer and in part bythe broken line 29 of Fig. 3. The portions of the retainer 24 on each side of the slot 26 are then extended somewhat as indicated in Fig. 3 to make up for the weight of the metal removed in forming the slot. The combined moment about the minor axis 3| of the retainer represented by the added metal of the shaded areas 30, 30 is substantially equal to the moment about the axis of the shaded area 32 representing the 'metal removed from the circular disc in forming the slot. Accordingly, the hole 25 is located at the center of gravity of the completed retainer.

The retainer of the present invention may be placed in position on a blind at any time. However, in the initial assembly of a Venetian blind, the lift cords with terminal beads in place are often reeved within the head bar before assembling the ladder tapes and slats. This is particularly true in the case of certain enclosedmetal-headbar blinds such as shown in the present application. It is often advantageous to insert the cord retainers on the lift cords immediately after reeving the lift cords in the head bar to prevent the cords from unintentionally becoming retracted into the head bar.

In removing the slats from a blind equipped with cord. retainers 24, 24 of the present invention, the lower ends offth'e lift cords I9, 'I9 are first detached from the bottom bar. The lift cords are' then withdrawn from the slats I6 of `the blindby pulling downwardly on the portions of the Vlift', cords depending from the cord lock as in ra'isnng the blind. After the bead 2l on the end of each lift cord passes through the slot 26 of thev top slat, it will engage the cord retainer 24 and carry it upward into contact with the under surface of the head bar so as to restrain the ends of the lift cords against passage into the head bar. The slats I 6 of the blind may then be removed from the ladder tapes l2 for cleaning or replacement.

After rinsertion of the slats I6 in the ladder tapes, the lift cords I 9, I9 may again be reeved through slats and attached to the bottom bar I1, the cord retainers 24 again resting on the top side of the top slat I6.

During normal operation of the blind, the cord retainers 24, 24 remain on the top side of the top slat and do not restrict free passage of the lift cords'. Since the cord-passage hole 25 of each retainer is located at the center of gravity of the retainer, there is a greatlv reduced tendency of the retainer to tilt and bind upon tbe lift cord rupon raising or lowering of the blind.

I claim:

1. A Venetian blind, comprising: a head bar, a plurality of slats suspended in parallel `relation from the head bar, a bottom bar located below the slats, lift cords reeved through the head bar, the ends of the lift cords extending downwardly through holes in the head bar and slats andhaving an enlarged end attached to the bottom bar, and a cord retainer located on each lift cord between the top slat and the head bar, the enlarged ends of the lift cords being free to pass" upwardly through the slats of the blind and the cord retainers providing for free passage of the intermediate portion of the lift cordsbut engaging the enlarged bottom ends thereof to prevent their passage into the head bar.

2. A Venetian blind, comprising: a head bar, a plurality of slats suspended in parallel relation from the head bar, a bottom bar located below the slats, lift cords reeved through the head bar, the ends of the lift cords extending downwardly through the holes in the head bar and slats, a sheet metal bead crimped to the end of each lift cord and detachablv engaging the end of the .lift cord with the bottom bar, the bead being suiciently small to pass freely through the holes of the slats, and a cord retainer located on each liftV cord between the top slat and the head bar, the cord retainer having a cord-receiving hole permitting free passage of the lift cord but suiliciently small to engage the bead and prevent passage oi' the end of the lift cord into the head bar.

3. A Venetian blind as claimed in claim 2, in which the cord retainer comprises a generally iiat sheet metal plate having a cord-receiving hole located centrally thereof and a slot extending from the cordreceiving hole to an edge of the plate for entering the cord within the passage, the minor dimension of the plate ,being greater than the major dimension of the lift cord holes inthe slats and head bar.

4. A cord retainer for preventingrthe enlarged lower end of a lift cord of a Vene blind from passing into the head bar through vwhich it is reeved, said retainer comprising: generally flat plate having a cord-receiving passage and a slot extending from the passage to jan'edge of the plate for entering the cord within the passage, the portion of the plate diametrically opposite the slot being semi-circular aboutthe cordreceivingr passage as a center and the remainder of the plate being extended fromV semi-circular form along the sides of the slot tbfpl'ace the cordreceiving passage at the center of'fgravity of the plate. i f

5. A cord retainer for preventirlg Vthe enlarged lower end of a lift cord of a Venetian blind from passing into the head bar through'` which it is reeved, said retainer comprising: agenerally iiat sheet metal plate having a cord-receiving passage and a slot extending from the'passage to an edge of the plate for enteringvv the cord Within the passage, plate having a regular geometric shape about the cord-receiving passage as a center except for an extended portion thereof at each side of the slot for maintaining the passage at the center of gravity of the plate.

6. A cord retainer for preventing the enlarged lower end of a lift cord of a Venetian blind from passing into the head bar through which it is reeved, said retainer comprising: a generally flat plate having a cord-receiving passage and a slot extending from the passage to` an edge of the` plate for entering the cord within Vthe passage, the cord-receiving passage being located at the center of gravity of the plate.

7. A cord retainer for preventing the enlarged lower end of a lift cord of a Venetian blind from passing into the head bar through which it is reeved, said retainer comprising.; a generally flat ovoid-shaped plate having a cord-receiving passage and a slot extending from the passage to an edge ofthe plate for entering the cord within the passage, the cord-receiving passage being located at the center of gravity of the', plate.

8. A cord retainer for preventing `the enlarged lower end of a lift cord of a Venetian blind from passing into the head bar through which it is reeved, said retainer comprising: a flat generally ovoid-shaped sheet metal plate having a cord# receiving passage and a slot extending from thepassage to an edge of the plate at the small end thereof for entering the cord within the passage, the cord-receiving passage being located at the center of gravity of the plate.

JOSEPH A. ANDERLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,283,438 Boomer Oct. 29, 1918 2,251,363 McGrew Aug. 5; 1941 2,260,726 Rosenbaum Oct. 28, 1941 2,486,492 Redman Nov. 1, 1949 

